


Unconventional Family Drabbles

by Pixelatrix



Series: Unconventional Sequels, One-Shots and Alternate Chapters [17]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Family, Fluff, Fun, Kids, Love, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-07-14 20:30:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7189013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixelatrix/pseuds/Pixelatrix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This will be a series of drabbles attached to the Unconventional family.  They will vary in length and not necessarily be in chronological order or related one to the other.   I will be open to prompts for this, so feel free to leave them in the comments for me.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Riding a Bike

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone enjoys it.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments.
> 
> Bioware Owns All, sadly.
> 
> Beta: CelticGrace & MissMeggo929

Giggles and laughter drifted through the open studio window, Fin peered around her canvas to watch her three children.  For attempting to sneak around, they weren’t being all that stealthy.  She knew what they were up to.

Last week, her lovely, idiotic husbands had attempted to teach their seven year old daughter Teagan how to ride a bike.  They’d failed badly.  Tears had followed—and then cookies since all things could be solved with cookies.

At least, she thought so.

Steven and Zaeed had spent over six hours trying to show her how to ride it.  They had gotten grumpy with each other over whose teaching method worked best.  Teagan had sat on the garden bench watching them for an hour before they finally settled for trying both ways.

A tearful Teagan had run into the house not long after with scraped elbows and an air of disappointment.   Steven had retreated to his office while Zaeed went to work on the skycar.  Fin had offered cookies and tea to Teagan to cheer her up.

Pulling herself away from drooling over her favourite food group, Fin returned to her three children.  Rowan had gotten leave from the Alliance to come home to help Brennan teach their little sister.   She felt an immense pride over the patience shown by the two older siblings.

Teagan had trailed behind the other two for most of her life, twelve years younger than Rowan, and four years younger than Brennan.  Fin always worried her frail daughter felt adrift in the family.  She’d never wanted one of her children to feel left out or alone.

Instead of using the old hoverbike of Rowan’s which had been passed down to Brennan, and then Teagan.   Her oldest child had bought a special one just for her sister.  It was smaller and painted with bright red tulips—the perfect gift for her little gardening, flower child.

She had never wanted the hover bikes for their kids.  The first one had been a birthday present for Rowan from Cortez and Vega.  They’d taught her always adventurous eldest how to ride the thing.  Brennan had gravitated toward it after he’d seen Rowan riding it.

It had seemed like Teagan wouldn’t follow in their footsteps.  Fin had hoped.   It might’ve taken her a few years longer, but the siren call of the hoverbike had called to the youngest.

“You can do it, Little Tea!” Rowan kept one hand on her sister’s back while encouraging her to balance precariously on the bike.  “Trust me.  If I can ride it, you can.”

“Row.” Teagan gripped the handlebars tightly while peering wide eyed at her two siblings. “Can’t.”

Rowan wrapped her arm around her sister. “It’s fun. Shit, it’s the most fun you’ll have once you get the hang of it.   Brennan can manage it.”

“Hey!” He punched his sister on the arm. “I learned faster than you did.”

“Did not.”

“Did so.”

 _Did. Not._ ” Rowan narrowed her eyes on her brother who stuck his tongue out at her. “How about we focus on Little Tea?”

“Good idea.” Brennan grinned at Teagan who gave another giggle. “Seriously, sis, it’s easy once you get the hang of it.”

Setting aside her canvas, Fin reached around the easel to grab her sketchbook.  She quickly began to make a few panels to draw the three kids.  It would make for an adorable series of miniature drawings.

They were such good kids.  It warmed her heart to see her older kids taking special care of Teagan.  She had no doubts by the end of the day her youngest would be moving around the garden on the bike with ease.

“That’s it.  Go Little Tea!” Rowan kept her hand on Teagan while running after her around the garden.  “You’re doing it!”

Teagan got off the bike shakily after her successful circuit of the yard. “Cookies?”

Brennan slung his arm around her shoulder while Rowan put hers around his. “Dad left a fresh batch on the counter.  Think mom would notice if we stole a few?”

“Nah.”

 


	2. Burnt Cookies, Naps, and Toddlers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, I am open to prompts for this drabble series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys it.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments.
> 
> Bioware Owns All, sadly.
> 
> Beta: CelticGrace & MissMeggo929

The acrid smell of burnt cookies filled the air.  Unusual, considering Hackett had been the one baking them.  He couldn’t recall the last time a batch of _his_ food had been ruined.

Well.

He could.  It hadn’t been his fault.  Zaeed had distracted him and they’d ended up on the floor naked, completely oblivious to the beeping timer.

“Daddy?”

Hackett blinked when the three year old in his arms brought him back to reality. “Yes, Rowan?”

“Smelly cookies.” She wrinkled her nose and pointed at the try that had just come out of the oven. “Mommy won’t like ‘em.”

“No, she definitely won’t.  Maybe we should feed them to your Papa instead.” He chuckled at his wiggling and giggling daughter. “Are you sure you don’t want to take a nap?”

“No nap.”

“How about a small one?”

“No nap.”

“Yes, so you’ve mentioned.” Hackett groaned in frustration.  He’d been trying to get her down for an hour and a half.  She was proving as recalcitrant as all three of her parents combined. “Please?”

“Silly daddy.” Rowan patted his cheek with her hand and grinned. “No nap.”

_Of course._

His husband and wife had gone off for a weekend away together.  They always tried to take time to have moments as a trio and then separately as well.  He considered it critically important to the strength of their relationships with one another.

The downside to all of this had been Hackett had been left alone with a three year old.  Not daunting at all.  He’d managed entire fleets after all.  How hard could it be? 

“No nap. No nap. No nap. No nap.” Rowan bounced in his arms, singing at the top of her lungs. “No. Nap.”

Apparently, it could be very, very hard.

He could do this.  He would _not_ cave.  He would _not_ call Karin especially after Finnegan had made sure to point out her contact information _several_ times.

Two days of hardly any sleep at all, Hackett could barely remember his own name.  He hadn’t showered, slept, or eaten much.  Rowan had apparently decided to have a revisiting of her terrible twos.

The house looked more like a disaster zone than anything else.  Bits of food were strewn around the kitchen.  The ruined cookies had been just one more thing to add to the mountain of toddler driven debris.

He needed coffee.

And a nap. 

Hackett grabbed the tray and dumped it into the trash bin, not even bothering to scrape the cookies off first.  He tossed the entire bunch.  “Well, I’ve managed one thing.”

“Yay, Daddy!” 

“Thanks.” He shook his head ruefully at her. “You don’t exactly need cookies, do you?”

“Yes!”

 


	3. Oh the trauma.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a prompt from Tumblr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys it.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments.
> 
> Bioware Owns All, sadly.
> 
> Beta: CelticGrace & MissMeggo929

 

Rowan sat at the kitchen table with her hands clutched around a mug. “I can’t unsee it.”

“It’s your own fault.” Brennan seemed way too pleased with her misery. “I told you dad was busy.”

“You didn’t tell me that he was busy with Papa.  And by busy, I mean…oh fuck. I need mind bleach.” Rowan chugged down the cold coffee with a grimace. “You’d think they’d be too old for that shit.”

“ _Row!_ ” Teagan paused in the process of making a bacon and veggie quiche for breakfast for them.  Their fathers had hidden in their bedroom after Rowan had burst in on them. “It’s sweet.”

“Sweetly vomit inducing.”

“Sweet.” Teagan spoke more sternly than either her brother or sister could recall hearing from the fifteen year old. “They’re sweet and romantic.  Don’t spoil it for them.”

Rowan nodded solemnly before turning away to gag dramatically at Brennan who snickered while Teagan’s focus had returned to the stove. “So…breakfast?”

“Nice save,” Brennan remarked sarcastically.

Teagan set two plates with slices of quiche and fruit on them. “For the dads.”

Rowan immediately slid them across the countertop over to Brennan. “Have fun.”

Teagan retrieved the dishes and placed them in front of her big sister. “Go. Apologize. Now.”

“Did she just…” Rowan blinked in surprise at the normally mild-mannered flower child of the family. “Huh.  She’s not adopted after all.”

“Food’s getting cold.” Her brother helpfully draped a couple napkins over her arm. “You might want to knock first.”

“Knocking you upside the head when I get back.” She promised before making her way down the hall.  She kicked her boot against the closed door a few times until her papa finally opened it—fully dressed. Thank fucking god. “I come bearing gifts.”

“You cooked?” He raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Ha fucking ha.” Rowan might not be as bad as her mother at cooking, but she wasn’t far off. “Teagan made them.  I’m supposed to apologize for bursting in on you and acting like an idiot.”

“Also Teagan’s idea?” Her father stepped out of the walk-in closet, also fully dressed.  He took one of the plates and bent slightly to kiss her forehead. “Next time, knock.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She grimaced at him, but couldn’t resist one last joke. “So…did you break a hip?”

“ _Rowan Finnegan Shepard.”_  

She dodged the strawberry thrown at her head and darted out of the room. “Love you both!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Food Reference: https://pixelatrix.tumblr.com/post/146207963496/nom-food-butternut-squash-arugula-bacon


	4. Sweet Potato Puree.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a prompt from Madame Clutch.
> 
> As always, I am open to prompts for this drabble series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys it.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments.
> 
> Bioware Owns All, sadly.
> 
> Beta: CelticGrace & MissMeggo929

Three hours of trial and error had been worth it when Hackett finally had a nutritionist and doctor approved recipe for pureed sweet potato.  The tricky part would be if six-month-old Teagan enjoyed it.  He hoped she would.

Their older children had tried solid foods much earlier, Rowan at fourth months and Brennan at five.  They’d delayed with their youngest.  She had spent so long in the hospital.

Sick.

Sick again.

With a weakened immune system, their Teagan’s health would be a source of worry.  He’d felt so helpless.  A feeling that he’d always hated.

Making sweet potato puree had been something to control.  The tiny jars sat on the counter.  He picked one up, clutching it tightly to the point of almost breaking the glass.

_Get it together admiral._

Quiet giggles pulled him out of his thoughts that were growing darker.  He took one of the jars and a tiny baby spoon into the dining room.  Rowan and Brennan were doing their best to make their baby sister smile.

The giggles were weak, but they made his heart fill with happiness.   He watched for several minutes.  The baby definitely appeared to be enjoying the antics of her siblings.

“Daddy!” Brennan spotted him first, drawing the attention of his children along with Zaeed who had been watching from the opposite side of the room.  “Daddy. Is that for Little Tea?”

The nickname for Teagan had come from Rowan and everyone including their extended circle of friends had picked it up.    It fit her. He waved the older children out into the garden with Zaeed to monitor their play as Finnegan was sleeping in after a long night.

“Just you and me.” Hackett dragged a chair over to sit in front of his beautiful little girl.  Tears threatened to overcome him when her tiny hand gripped his finger. “Hello sweetheart.  Ready to try this goop?  It’s tasty, I promise.”

She gave him a gummy sort of grin which he liked to pretend was all for him and no one else.   He took it as a yes.  Minutes went by, puree went everywhere, but finally she took her first bit of food.

“That’s my girl.” Hackett brushed her wispy hair that had already started to darken.  He though it would be more like his own had been before it turned grey.   He cupped her head gently and leaned forward to brush a kiss against her brow. “Grow strong, sweetheart. Promise me you’ll grow strong.  We love you so much.  I don’t mind the long nights just be healthy.  Just know you are loved.”

A glob of sweet potato puree hit him on the nose.  He decided to take it as an ‘I love you’ from her.  She gummed her way through half of the jar of puree before her hand blocked the spoon on its next journey to her mouth.

“Success.”  Hackett carefully extracted her from the highchair to get her cleaned up.  He hoped his carefully prepared food would be the extra bit of strength needed to finally stop the constant visits to the hospital.  “One thing you’ll learn about this family, Teagan, is we never give up.  We’re all too stubborn.”

“Da.” She blew bubbles at him. “Da.”

“And we _all_ love you.”

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, I am open to prompts for this drabble series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys it.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments.
> 
> Bioware Owns All, sadly.
> 
> Beta: CelticGrace & MissMeggo929

“Have you seen them?” Fin had snuck from her studio, through the garden, and into the house to drag Zaeed outside with her. “Look—over there by the roses you helped Teagan plant last week.”

Catching his hand to stop him from barging out from behind the bushes, Fin had him peek through a break in the greenery instead.  The tall bushes had been planted a few weeks back to help section off an area for Teagan to allow the six year old to play in ‘her own garden.’  Gardening had been the only thing outside of books that had piqued her interest at all.

“Crazy goddamn woman.”  Zaeed shook his head at her, but bent down to look through anyway.  He leaned back chuckling moments later. “I’ve lost my goddamn mind—clearly gone insane.  Is Admiral Fucking Hackett wearing a sundress and having a tea party?”

“Yes.” Fin’s gaze narrowed on him when she spotted the calculating gleam in his eyes. “And no, Zaeed, you can’t vid it to sell on the extra-net.”

“Me? Would I do shit like that?”

“Yes, you would.   Oh, and no, you can’t use it for blackmail either.”

“Bitch.” He ducked out of the way of her hand then cursed again when she used her biotics to gently lift him into the air and carrying him across the yard to dunk him in their fountain.  “ _Fin._ ”

“What have I said about that kind of language?” She crossed her arms and continued to glare at him while he stood dripping in the water fountain. “It’s sweet.”

Grumbling to himself, Zaeed trudged out of the water.  Fin giggled at his wet boot prints that were left behind while he headed into the house.  She returned to watching the father-daughter tea party in peace.

Since Teagan had started up her interest in the garden, Steven had been feeling a little out of touch with their youngest child.  He’d likely never admit it.  She thought jealously might be playing a part as well since Zaeed had been by far the most encouraging of the three of them.

Of her husbands, Zaeed had a more natural ease with Teagan which still shocked her a bit.  Fin had always expected him to connect more easily with Rowan—their rough and tumble child.  She was glad Teagan had a parent who could draw her out of her shell.

“Mom?”

She followed the whisper to find Rowan crouching beside her. “Have you finished your school project with your Uncle Steve, sweetheart? Did it go well or did Uncle James manage to bungle it for you?”

Rowan grinned brightly at the mention of two of her favourite members of the _Normandy_ family.  Vega and Cortez had always been close with Fin’s children, babysitting them frequently.  “We rebuilt the Kodiak engine.  He’s going to fly it to school next week so I can prove I did it.  We documented everything.  I’m definitely getting an amazing grade.  What’s going on?  I saw Papa wandering around like a wet rat.”

“I objected to his language.”

Rowan snickered before leaning forward around her to see what had caught her mother’s interest. “Ahh.  She finally worked up the courage to ask dad to tea.”

“Finally?”

“Little Tea asked me weeks ago if I thought he’d want to have a tea party with her.” Rowan gave her mother another grin. “Shit. Never thought he’d wear the dress.”

“ _Rowan Finnegan Shepard_. Watch your language.” Fin had to laugh when her daughter’s guilty expression completely mirrored her father’s.  “I’ve clearly let you spend far too much time with marines.”

 _“Mom._ ” She looked horrified at the idea of not being around all the Alliance officers in her life.  She’d been obsessed with the idea of being a marine for years. “Papa swears more than Uncle James or Uncle Steve.”

“Fair point,” Fin sighed in resignation. “How about we have some tea of your own?  Maybe we can talk your papa into joining us?”

“And cookies?”

“No, consider it punishment for swearing.”

“ _Mom._ ”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Pen for the prompt.
> 
> As always, I am open to prompts for this drabble series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoys it.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments.
> 
> Bioware Owns All, sadly.
> 
> Beta: CelticGrace & MissMeggo929

Standing inside their large beach tent, Zaeed watched in amusement as Fin covered their youngest child with sunscreen.  _Poor kid._   Teagan might topple over from the weight of the thick layer of cream slathered on her.  He thought his wife might be going a bit over board.

This trip had been her idea after all.  _‘Teagan’s first beach vacation has to be perfect._ ’  It wouldn’t be perfect, but he thought they’d enjoy it.  He’d have to talk to Steven about making sure Fin relaxed a bit or it would set the kids on edge as well.

Sickness had kept them all from taking vacations for the first few years of Teagan’s life.  Fin had finally insisted on going to Santa Cruz for the milder temperatures, yet she acted more like they were visiting the sun.  It had started things off more stressed than relaxed.

Rowan had disappeared into the water with a body-board the second they arrived at the beach.  Zaeed could just make her out in the water, Steven stood further down to keep a sharp eye on the twelve-year-old.   Their oldest child truly had no fear.

She left that for her parents.

He glanced to his left and found Brennan already working intensely on a barren plot of sand.  His son had seen a vid of an Italian artist creating masterpieces on the beach.  He seemed intently driven to make one of his own.  Fin would probably end up joining him a bit later.

“Papa!” Teagan tugged on the edge of his shorts and waved her little pail with a shovel and flowers in it at him.  She looked so hopeful in her flowery sundress. She hadn’t wanted a swimsuit—the waves scared her too much.  “We build castles now?”

He lifted her into his arms to carry her down to a good spot for sandcastles. “Yes, we build castles now.”

Teagan worked diligently on her little sandcastle. He’d stayed out of it at first, but she finally dragged him into it. He started shoring up the sides of the castle. “Why so big, Papa?”

“Don’t want the mercs to break the walls.” Zaeed used a stick to point to one of the corners. “They’ll come in from that fu---that side.”

“Why?”

“It’s what mercs do.”

“Okay.” She pulled out one of the daisies from her bucket and set it on the corner he’d pointed at. She looked up at him seriously. “Bad people don’t like flowers.”

“No, I’m sure they don’t.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Face References:  
> Teagan Shepard (the youngest child - but she has much darker hair - parents: Fin/Hackett): http://pixelatrix.tumblr.com/post/110978463196
> 
> Brennan David Shepard (the middle child - but he has slightly more auburn hair - Parents: Fin/Zaeed): http://pixelatrix.tumblr.com/post/110978533051
> 
> Rowan Finnegan Shepard (oldest child) face reference (Parents: Fin/Hackett): http://pixelatrix.tumblr.com/post/110978428401/brittsis-asked-about-the-kids-teenage-adult-face
> 
> Fin: https://pixelatrix.tumblr.com/post/83825358713/finnegan-fin-shepard


End file.
